for company had the corpse of the murdered Jusuke. To the poor cook the
time passed was torture. He was continually going to the stair and
calling down--"Danna Sama, has the time come?... Ah! The sky is light.
The streets at night will be full of people with lanterns. Plainly
O'Tento[u] Sama (the Sun) has forgotten to decline in the West. Alas!
This Densuke is most unlucky." At last the hour of the dog was passing
(7-9 P.M.). Daihachiro[u] appeared. "Now for the corpse! Wrap it up in
this matting.... Coward! Is Densuke afraid of a dead man?" He took the
body and cut the tendons of arms and legs. Then he placed the head on
the belly. Doubling the limbs over the body so as to hold the head he
wrapped the matting around the whole. The outside he covered with some
red raincoats--"in case of accidental stains." Then he strongly roped
the whole together. He stood back to inspect a truly admirable job.
Densuke wondered how many usurers Daihachiro[u] had thus disposed of.
His speculations were interrupted. Everything was ready. "Now! the loan
of Densuke's back." Groaned Densuke--"Danna Sama, a request."--"What?"
asked Daihachiro[u]. "Condescend to put a board between the body of
Densuke and that of Jusuke. The head might seize and bite me with its
teeth." Daihachiro[u] snorted with laughter, contempt, and anger mixed.
"What a cowardly rascal you are! Off with it as it is." Said Densuke
respectfully and firmly--"The task is that of Densuke. Condescend so far
to favour him." His obvious terror threatened collapse even of the
influence of Daihachiro[u]. An old remnant of the back of a corselet was
at hand. Said Daihachiro[u]--"This is still better. It is metal. In it
goes. Now off with you." Stalking along in the rear of the unfortunate
cook, Daihachiro[u] kept within easy distance of a sword blow. At the
gate he said--"Pray grant passage. Densuke takes washing of this
Daihachiro[u]--bed quilts and _futon_ to be renovated."--"Respectfully
heard and understood." The gate-man let fall the bar and stood aside.
Densuke passed into the street. A little way off he looked around.
Takahashi Daihachiro[u] had disappeared. Now indeed it was an affair
between Densuke and Jusuke.[8]

CHAPTER IV

THE APPEARANCE OF O'IWA SAN

Shouldering his pack Densuke made off down the broad space lined by the
white walls of the _yashiki_. In this quarter of the _bushi_ the highway
was not crowded with citizens and their lanterns. Densuke had hig